January 30, 2021
Read DDP Scholar Alex Maya-Romero’s article in the American Society for Cell Biology’s Dec. 2020 newsletter: Alex Maya-Romero ASCB Newsletter
Opportunity
The health and biomedical research workforce will become truly diversified when socioeconomic barriers are overcome, allowing individuals from all backgrounds to become members and leaders of their fields. Focused opportunities must be provided for individuals from low-income and under-represented backgrounds, and the major goal is to ensure that individuals with interest and passion also have the skills, accomplishments, network, and support system required to succeed at each level of training. We strive to provide these opportunities through our Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine (CSM).
To date, the CSM Initiative has served over 520 scholars. This includes 216 5th Graders (one-week science camp), 188 high schoolers (8-week summer internships with academic fortification), 87 undergraduates (10-week summer internships), and 37 post-baccalaureates (up to two-year mentored research-intensive training). At least 83% of our high school scholars have matriculated into 4-year college programs and 73% have chosen STEM majors. At the other end of the spectrum, 81% of our post-baccalaureate scholars have been accepted into MD, MD/PhD, and PhD programs at a variety of institutions, including Hopkins, Stanford, Albert Einstein, Vanderbilt, Brown, Baylor, among many others. 12% have completed or are working towards their MS degree. 4% became research scientists, and 4% joined Teach for America to teach biology to high school students.
The CSM Initiative has been funded, in part, by a Health Careers Opportunity Program grant (non-renewable) through the Health Resources and Services Administration. We also receive support from the Thomas Wilson Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University, Camden Partners, the Warnock Foundation, the Brancati Center, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Spudich Family, the Joyce A. Robinson Living Trust, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. If you are interested in helping support the Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine, please contact Doug Robinson (dnr@jhmi.edu) or Sarah Farrell, Director of Development (sfarrell@jhmi.edu), or Courtney Dystant, Assistant Director of Development (cdystan1@jhmi.edu), Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences.
